Sob as sombras das hélices: análise dos impactos ambientais de usinas eólicas no município de Ibiapina/CE

Abstract

From ICU ventilators to complex military systems, electricity is an indispensable element in modern society. To keep complex machines running, electricity generation techniques have been developed that primarily use coal and oil as raw materials, sources that are not replenished in nature. These strategies are identified as causing numerous environmental problems that endanger life on Earth. Renewable energy sources, including wind farms, fit into this context as a possibility of achieving a less harmful generation, thus providing an alternative to the previous form, ushering modern society into a period of energy transition. This new form of generation requires extensive land and can limit access to land, suppress fauna and flora, negatively impact agriculture, and promote various diseases among the directly affected population, generating socio-environmental conflicts. The municipality of Ibiapina, Ceará, stands out as the birthplace of several wind farms and a population largely dependent on agriculture. The general objective of this study is to analyze the perception of the socio-environmental impacts of the population directly affected by the Bons Ventos da Serra 2 wind farm in Ibiapina, Ceará. The specific objectives include investigating the socio-environmental conflicts generated by its implementation, describing the concerns of different local social actors regarding the presence of the wind farm, and finally analyzing the socio-environmental impacts generated by the project. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving documentary analysis, a bibliographical study, and a case study through interviews. The data were transcribed and successively analyzed using content analysis. The results demonstrated a strong territorial connection as well as frustration with the impacts, particularly noise and the lack of lasting social benefits. A sense of disillusionment predominates. The conclusion is that the energy transition is essential but has been guided by public policies that perpetuate exclusionary patterns, prioritizing specific economic groups to the detriment of vulnerable communities.